Posts Tagged ‘Facebook’

 

What is Reddit?

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012

We’re all very familiar with Facebook, Twitter and even Google+, but even the most savvy social media user may not yet have explored the basics of Reddit–a simple yet powerful force in the social media sphere. After all, Reddit boasts itself as “the front page of the internet.”

What is Reddit?

If you’re new to Reddit and you visit the main page, it probably appears like a random bulletin board at a local library–and that’s basically what it is.

Reddit is an internet bulletin board divided into many categories with a few distinct differences.

How Reddit is Different?

Unlike Facebook, Reddit lets user customize their front page to accomodate whatever interest, niche or topic of their choosing.

+Want to learn how to train your husky? Visit the Dog Training Reddit page.

+Need to connect to other sushi lovers? The sushi Reddit page is for you.

+Like to chat about League of Legends? Set your front page to that sub-Reddit. Some of these sub-bulletin board pages even have guidelines. Here’s the one for League of Legends:

And if your topic of choice isn’t created yet, go ahead and make one. Chances are there are other people just like yourself that want a page to share the secrets of repurposing old picture frames into costume jewelry -or something of the sort.

In allowing users to, in essence, curate the entire internet and also allow users to give a vote on topics of interest, Reddit stays abreast of current trends.

New Reddit Trend

A current popular feature on Reddit is iAmA. Also knows as AMA (Ask Me Anything) or AMAA (Ask Me Almost Anything). At the time of publishing this post, the iAmA page on Reddit that has over 2.4 million subscribers and is growing.

So what is iAmA? It’s a great way for anyone to connect with celebrities, personalites or even the President of the United States.

Additionally, iAmA is a great way to connect with others, do research or be entertained.

Some suggestions recently seen on Reddit:

I was a State Corrections Officer (Prison guard) for 25 years. AMA

IAmA cardiac surgeon AMA

I had half my left foot amputated when I was 14. AMA.

Enjoy!

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If you use Reddit, what is the thing you like most about it? Let us know in the comments!

 

The New Google+ Feature and Youtube Facelift

Monday, December 10th, 2012

Google quietly launched two new features in the last few days.

The first improvement is one that, we imagine, will slowly integrate into our social experience much like Facebook and Twitter have.

New Google+ Feature

It’s called Google+ Communities, and here’s how it works. You’re interested in graphic design, baking bread or nuclear physics and want to connect to a more specific group of people who share similar interests. Google+ Communities exists for you.

Think of it as a Facebook group…because that’s what it is: the Google+ version of a Facebook group, but with a few twists that might pull you over to the Google+ side. After all, it’s growing at a faster rate than Facebook and Twitter (read more about that here).

So how does Google+ Communities differ from Facebook or Facebook Pages? Here’s what Google had to say in a recent update:

“With Google+ Communities there’s now a gathering place for your passions, including: 1. Public or private membership to support all kinds of groups—from topics and interests to local neighborhoods to regular poker night. 2. Discussion categories to find the conversations you care about most. 3. The option to start hangouts and plan events with community members. 4. The ability to share with your community from any +1 button across the web.”

Granted, though many features overlap in both the Facebook and Google+ platform, the ability to start video hangouts which record directly to Youtube is an immese differentiator.

Which bring us to Youtube’s.

Youtube Facelife

Youtube underwent the designer’s knife this past week and came out much sleeker and cleaner.

According to this post in a Google help forum, the new design intends to increase subscription rates, focus more on video than previous designs and increase exposure to various Youtube channels. But not everyone is happy with the updates.

And if you really don’t like the updates, there’s always this option:

Question: What do you think about the new design on Youtube or the addition of Google+ Communities? Let us know in the comments below!